THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) — SONGS, MUSIC DIRECTOR, CAST & FACTS

Sixty years on, The Sound of Music remains the most beloved movie musical of all. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, Christopher Plummer plays Captain Georg von Trapp, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs at its heart have taught generations to sing. From the hills above Salzburg to the von Trapp family home, the film pairs a warm family story with music that still feels fresh, joyful and hopeful today.

Image: Julie Andrews in "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music (1965) (20th Century Fox / Rodgers & Hammerstein).

The Sound of Music Movie Details

Film: The Sound of Music (1965)

Director: Robert Wise

Cast: Julie Andrews as Maria; Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp; Charmian Carr as Liesl, Nicholas Hammond as Friedrich, Heather Menzies as Louisa, Angela Cartwright as Brigitta, Duane Chase as Kurt, Kym Karath as Gretl and Debbie Turner as Marta

Music: Richard Rodgers

Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Release Date: March 2, 1965 (US premiere, New York); April 2, 1965 (general US release)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Awards: 5 Academy Awards from 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director

All the Songs in The Sound of Music

The film draws on the 1959 Broadway musical of the same name, itself based on Maria von Trapp's 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Its best-known numbers are "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Edelweiss" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", and every song below plays a clear part in Maria's journey with the von Trapp children.

• "Prelude / The Sound of Music" — Maria sings the title song in the Austrian hills as the film opens.
• "Maria" — the nuns at Nonnberg Abbey wonder how to solve the problem of their lively postulant.
• "I Have Confidence" — Maria gathers her courage on the way to the von Trapp home, in a song written specially for the film.
• "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" — Liesl, the eldest von Trapp child, sings about growing up with Rolf.
• "My Favorite Things" — Maria comforts the children during a thunderstorm with a list of simple pleasures.
• "Do-Re-Mi" — Maria teaches the children the solfege of the major scale, in a montage as they wander through Salzburg.
• "The Lonely Goatherd" — Maria and the children perform the song with a puppet show.
• "So Long, Farewell" — the children bid the party guests goodnight, one by one.
• "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" — the Mother Abbess urges Maria to follow her heart and face her future.
• "Something Good" — Maria and the Captain reflect on how their love began, in a song written specially for the film.
• "Edelweiss" — the Captain sings the gentle song of his homeland, the last song Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together.

Two Songs Written for the Film

Two songs were written specially for the film: "I Have Confidence" and "Something Good". Oscar Hammerstein II had died in 1960, before the film was made, so Richard Rodgers wrote both the music and the lyrics for these two numbers himself.

"I Have Confidence" gives Maria a burst of self-belief as she sets out for her new post, while "Something Good" lets Maria and the Captain look back on the small moments that brought them together. "Edelweiss", by contrast, was the last song Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together, and it closes their partnership on a quiet, tender note.

Awards and Legacy

The Sound of Music won 5 Academy Awards from 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. It became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and saved 20th Century Fox after the losses on Cleopatra.

Sixty years on, the film was newly restored and remastered in 4K in 2025, with the official "Do-Re-Mi" in 4K clip released on the Rodgers & Hammerstein channel. The Sound of Music (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) remains the chart-topping film soundtrack, and a Super Deluxe Edition with more than 40 previously unreleased tracks was issued by Craft Recordings (Concord).

If you are catching up on recent films, read our guides to the Wicked: For Good movie, the F1 (2025) movie and the Mickey 17 movie, and for another classic musical, see Mamma Mia lyrics — ABBA.

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official "Do-Re-Mi" in 4K clip from the Rodgers & Hammerstein channel, released for the film's 60th anniversary.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was The Sound of Music released?

The Sound of Music premiered in the United States on March 2, 1965 in New York, and went into general US release on April 2, 1965.

Who starred in The Sound of Music?

Julie Andrews starred as Maria and Christopher Plummer starred as Captain Georg von Trapp, with Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Angela Cartwright, Duane Chase, Kym Karath and Debbie Turner as the von Trapp children.

Who wrote the music for The Sound of Music?

The music was written by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Rodgers wrote both the music and the lyrics for the two songs added for the film, "I Have Confidence" and "Something Good".

How many Oscars did The Sound of Music win?

The Sound of Music won 5 Academy Awards from 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.